


One Question

by Daisybarks



Category: Love Island (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Gen, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:49:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27135497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daisybarks/pseuds/Daisybarks
Summary: Hope prepares for the reunion after burning nearly every bridge inside the villa, but it doesn't go how she expects.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 24





	One Question

**Author's Note:**

> A little one-shot from Hope's perspective. For the monthly prompt competition from r/LITGFanFiction on Reddit.

Hope had been dreading this day for months. The anxiety rose in her chest incrementally and daily ever since she'd finally sat down and watched the show. And she watched all of it. All the times she said something she shouldn't have, all the times she snapped at someone, all the ridiculous outfits she put on in an attempt to try and mask each small insecurity she had. 

It was like watching another person, really. She wanted to call everyone she knew and tell them that she was sorry. That it wasn't really her, that she didn't know what came over her. But she couldn't do that. No need to lose face anymore than she already had. No need to dredge up the past - if she was lucky, maybe the others had already forgotten about her behavior. 

Forgetting was a luxury she wished she had. 

If she wasn't contractually obligated to attend the reunion, she wouldn't. The glaring issue was what she would do when she saw Noah, but that was only the beginning. There was Lottie, to whom she was downright rude. She barely treated Bobby like he existed. She strung Lucas along... and Jakub. She argued with Hannah and Marisol for no reason. 

None of them deserved it, and where did it get her in the end? No fifty thousand pounds, no Noah, no new friends. Shit, barely even any old friends stuck around after they saw her behavior.

She got dressed slowly, something in neutral colors, something that would let her fade into the background. No colorful makeup, clear nail polish. Hope was trying to look as invisible as she wanted to be, praying that she would be ignored during all of this nonsense. She stuck some tissues in her handbag as an insurance policy, but there was no way she was going to cry again over this. 

Over him. 

He told her it was over right before the finale. Standing in front of the firepit where they had chosen each other over and over again, even when they both knew it wasn't going to work. The last day, he finally broke. Said it had gotten too real, that she was too much. He couldn't handle the jealousy, the double standards, the fact that she hardly ever admitted to being wrong.

If she was being honest with herself, she knew it was coming. Was relieved almost. The break up wasn't even the hard part. In retrospect, she'd been self-sabotaging for days, knowing it wouldn't work out, but not knowing how to end it herself. The hard part was watching him after everything was over. Practically running to Priya at the afterparty. The look of happiness on his face was more than she'd ever been able to give him. 

The interviews they did after the show were brutal.   
"Did Hope keep you two from happiness?"   
"Why did you stay with her for so long if you loved Priya?"  
"How do you deal with a crazy ex if she's not even your ex yet?"

Walking back into work was a nightmare too. The looks on the faces of her co-workers were never going to leave her memory. Disgust, pity, concern, fear. It was all so overwhelming and frustrating. She'd come so close to quitting her job over it, but eventually decided she couldn't lose the only thing she had going for her.

The car ride to the studio was torture. She couldn't decide if she wanted it to go faster so she could speed this up and get it over with, or slower to delay the inevitable. 

Strangely enough, when they pulled up to the building and she exited the car, there was no one around. No reporters, no photographers, none of the other cast members or producers. A rare moment of quiet when it came to anything having to do with the show. 

She found her way inside, pulse racing, palms sweating, chest practically heaving under a heavy heartbeat and labored breath. She didn't run into anyone until the green room, but when she opened the door, they were all there. She must have been the last one to arrive. 

None of them really even looked up when she entered. She got a ghost of a smile and a head nod from Bobby, a hang ten sign from Henrik, and something akin to bedroom eyes from Jakub - apparently no harm done there. Chelsea was the first one to approach her, making small talk about her job and the newest cute saying she was into for whatever latest client she had. 

Was it weird that she didn't bring up the show? Hope couldn't be sure. She shook it off and moved into more conversations, first Hannah, then Bobby and his new girlfriend, then Lucas and Henrik. None of them spoke to her about the show. None of them were hesitant or rude. None of them gave her 'the look.' The one she'd come to dread. The one that said, "I'm wary of you but feel like I have to make conversation."

As time passed, her worry started to soften. She'd spoken to everyone except Noah and Priya, and everything had gone fine. Better than fine really, and better than she expected by far. She'd glimpsed Noah out of the corner of her eye a few times, but he wasn't ever looking back in her direction. She might have apologized if he'd given her the opportunity. 

Once they made it to the stage and got seated, she was actually fairly comfortable. She was seated between Ibrahim and Henrik, and both of them were too nice to scoot their chairs away from her or ask to be re-seated, or anything like that. 'Small favors,' she thought as she settled in. 

The questions would be difficult, she was sure. She'd practiced answers to what she thought she'd be asked in front of the mirror for weeks. It was important to come across right, to try and salvage some of her reputation. It would be good to strike a balance between contrite and dignified, she thought. 

People would be happy to see a different side of her, she imagined. Maybe this would be how she could rebuild and repair some of those relationships she'd wanted to build in the villa. This was a blessing in disguise, a good opportunity. One not to be wasted on sadness or nerves. 

When the interview started, she was relieved to dodge the first few questions; they were mostly directed at Bobby, Chelsea, and Noah, all the fan favorites. She almost couldn't believe Noah was still a fan favorite after he took the money. She must have been a real terror for him to come out of that unscathed. Eventually, the conversation turned to the Casa Amor guys, and then finally to the rest of the original cast. 

Two hours in and still no questions directed at Hope. Why was this making her nervous again? Maybe they were saving up all the really heavy-hitting questions about her behavior for the end. It would be the finale of the reunion; calling her out on her behavior and making her feel all of the pain and unpleasantness she caused. 

Completely in her head, she barely heard what was going on around her. Finally, she heard her name. 

"Hope?"

"Hi."

"Hope, it's your turn, we've got one question for you. Submitted by a fellow castmate we're leaving anonymous."

"Okay, shoot." She put on the smile with contrition she'd been practicing. This was her moment. Now that it was finally here, she was surprised to find herself excited. Ready to let the whole UK give her another shot. 

  
"Why do you seem to think everything is always about you?"


End file.
